Lindcott Armory Rifle · Obsolete / Non-standard
.577/450 Martini-Henry
The cartridge of the British Empire at its height.
- Caliber
- 0.465″ · 11.81 mm
- Introduced
- 1871
- Case
- Rimmed
- Parent
- .577 Snider
- Primary use
- Military
- Status
- Limited
- Introduced
- 1871
- Type
- Rifle
- Origin
- United Kingdom
- Inventor
- British Royal Small Arms Factory (Enfield)
- Manufacturer
- Bertram / Jamison
- Standard
- Obsolete / Non-standard
- Status
- Limited
- Availability
- Specialty
- Case capacity
- 130 gr H₂O
- Twist (typical)
- 1:22
- Primer
- Large Rifle
- Case type
- Rimmed
- Max pressure
- 18,000 psi
- Eff. range
- 400 yd
- Max range
- 1000 yd
- Recoil
- 25–38 ft·lb
- Subsonic
- Capable
Ballistics
- By real loads
- 1,350–1,350 fps · 8 loads
- Parent case
- .577 Snider
Representative trajectory — modeled from a single velocity input (no published BC for this cartridge yet).
Dimensionscase measurements · scale drawing · size vs familiar rounds
Case dimensions — the scale drawing at the top of the page is built from these.
CIP TDCC · approximate| Measure | mm | in | ✓ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bullet ⌀ | 11.81 | 0.465 | ~ |
| Neck ⌀ | 13.06 | 0.514 | ~ |
| Shoulder ⌀ | 16.15 | 0.636 | ✓ |
| Shoulder angle | 15.8° | — | ✓ |
| Base ⌀ | 17.07 | 0.672 | ✓ |
| Rim ⌀ | 19.30 | 0.760 | ✓ |
| Belt ⌀ | n/a | ||
| Rim thickness | 1.27 | 0.050 | ✓ |
| Neck length | 17.91 | 0.705 | ≈ |
| Case length | 59.08 | 2.326 | ✓ |
| Overall length | 81.28 | 3.200 | ~ |
Size vs familiar rounds
Drawn at true 1:1 — every case is accurate relative to the others. Absolute size depends on your screen's pixel density, so measuring one against a real ruler may be off. .577/450 Martini-Henry is highlighted below.
Factory loads
In production — 8 active loads across 7 brands. Top 15 shown · see all 20 →.
| Brand | Load | Grain | Bullet | FPS | ft·lb | BC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ten-X Ammunition | Lead RN | 480 | Lead RN | 1,350 | 1,942 | — |
| Bertram | Brass Case Load | 480 | Lead RN | 1,350 | 1,942 | — |
| Norma | Standard | 480 | FMJ | 1,350 | 1,942 | — |
| Bertram | Custom | 480 | FMJ | 1,350 | 1,942 | — |
| Sellier & Bellot | Sport | 480 | FMJ | 1,350 | 1,942 | — |
| Buffalo Arms | Lead RN | 480 | Lead RN | 1,350 | 1,942 | — |
| PPU | Range | 480 | FMJ | 1,350 | 1,942 | — |
| Kynoch | Standard | 480 | FMJ | 1,350 | 1,942 | — |
| Royal Laboratory Woolwich | MkIII Service Ball | 480 | Lead RN | 1,350 | 1,942 | — |
| Norma | Africa PH | 480 | Lead Round Nose | 1,350 | 1,942 | — |
| Eley | Mk III Service Ball | 480 | Lead RN | 1,350 | 1,942 | — |
| Buffalo Arms | Custom SP | 480 | Lead Round Nose | 1,350 | 1,942 | — |
| Bertram | Custom | 480 | Lead Round Nose | 1,350 | 1,942 | — |
| Graf | FMJ Standard | 480 | Lead Round Nose | 1,350 | 1,942 | — |
| RWS | Classic | 480 | Lead Round Nose | 1,350 | 1,942 | — |
Velocities are manufacturer-stated (test-barrel). Discontinued loads dimmed.
Suitable powders
1 reloading powder listed for .577/450 Martini-Henry, fastest to slowest. Cross-reference in the finder →
Reloading costestimate cost per round vs factory
Estimate your cost per round and how it compares to factory. Inputs are yours — nothing is stored.
Cost estimate only — not load data. Charge weight is your input; follow published manuals for safe charges.
Firearms chambered in .577/450 Martini-Henry
12 models in the database chamber .577/450 Martini-Henry. Browse all →
Lineage
Connected reference
History
Developed to replace the .577 Snider cartridge and the Snider-Enfield conversion rifles, the .577/450 was adopted in 1871 for the new Martini-Henry — a falling-block single-shot combining Martini's action and Henry's rifling. The bottlenecked case was an engineering solution: the wide base accommodated the Martini's large extractor while the reduced neck allowed a manageable bore diameter. The cartridge saw action in virtually every British colonial conflict of the 1870s–1880s. At Rorke's Drift in 1879, 139 British and colonial soldiers armed with Martini-Henrys defended against 3,000–4,000 Zulu warriors — firing an estimated 20,000 rounds in 12 hours. The rifle's single-shot limitation became critical; soldiers reported barrels too hot to hold. The .577/450 was superseded by the .303 British and Lee-Metford magazine rifle in 1891. Bertram and Jamison produce brass for collectors and re-enactors.
FAQs
- What twist rate does .577/450 Martini-Henry use?
- .577/450 Martini-Henry typically uses a 1:22 twist rate.
- What bullet diameter is .577/450 Martini-Henry?
- .577/450 Martini-Henry uses a 0.465″ (11.81 mm) diameter bullet.
- Is .577/450 Martini-Henry still in production?
- .577/450 Martini-Henry is limited; typical availability is specialty.
- What is .577/450 Martini-Henry used for?
- .577/450 Martini-Henry is primarily used for military.
- What is .577/450 Martini-Henry based on?
- .577/450 Martini-Henry is derived from the .577 Snider case.
- What are the best powders for .577/450 Martini-Henry?
- Reloading powders commonly listed for .577/450 Martini-Henry include IMR 3031.
Sources & provenance
Data & sources. Specs compiled from the Lindcott Armory reference; availability counted from 8 live factory loads; the trajectory is modeled (point-mass), not measured. See methodology. Spotted an error? Report it →